Issue 202 - North Down BT18 •BT19 • BT20 • BT21
North Down Museum Celebrates Transport Through the Ages at New Exhibition
North Down Museum recently opened a new exhibition ‘Trains, Boats and Planes,’ exploring and celebrating modes of transport through objects from the museum’s collection.
Representatives of Ards and North Down Borough Council, including the mayor, Cllr Karen Jennifer Gilmore, pictured with John Thompson and Carol Forster of Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful, alongside naturalist, Eoin Warner. Ards and North Down Borough Council won both Seaside Awards and Blue Flags for their area.
Success for Ards and North Down at the Beach and Marina Awards Five sites in Ards and North Down are among the 2024 winners of the international Blue Flag Award and the UK-wide Seaside Award. Bangor Marina is one of nine beaches and seven marinas in Northern Ireland that earned the prestigious Blue Flag Award distinction. Blue Flag winning sites must meet world-class standards in criteria such as safety, accessibility, cleanliness, environmental education and, for beaches, water quality.
A representative from Boatfolk said; “Boatfolk is thrilled to celebrate the standards achieved by Bangor Marina in earning the Blue Flag Award. This accolade underscores our commitment to providing top-tier marina services while upholding the highest standards of environmental
stewardship. We are proud to contribute to making Northern Ireland a premier destination for mariners around the world, and we remain dedicated to fostering a love of the marine environment within our community.” A further 6 NI beaches received Seaside Awards, including Ballywalter
South, Cloughey, Groomsport and Millisile Beaches. The Seaside Award is the UK’s mark of quality that ensures visitors are guaranteed to find a clean, safe, attractive, and well-managed coastal stretch.
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The museum’s collection possesses a wealth of paintings and artefacts relating to transport and the curated display is a celebration of the movement of people by rail, sea and sky. Visitors can see an array of artistic interpretations of magnificent vehicles, from the Coronation Scot train to the de Havilland Rapide aircraft flying over Bangor, to tall ships and warships in Bangor Bay. Many of the items have been put on display especially for the exhibition, offering a unique opportunity to view them. Highlights include paintings by Bangor-born artist Norman Whitla and original travel and tourism posters that were issued by
British Railways to promote Bangor in the 1950s. Speaking about the exhibition, North Down Museum’s Manager, Arlene Matthews said: “This exhibition highlights the huge impact that transport has made in shaping the history of our borough. Transportation has facilitated the growth of industry and opportunity in our towns and villages and continues to play an essential part of our daily lives.” Trains, Boats and Planes is open in North Down Museum’s Long Gallery until Sunday 16 June. Admission is free. For more information visit: www.andculture.org. uk